Techniques in Tour Guiding 2017 by Paul Olola

TOP NOTCH
Tailored Learning
topnotchtailored@outlook.com
Techniques in Tour Guiding
Topic 1 Introduction to Tour Guiding
Topic 2 History and Evolution of Tour Guiding.
Topic 3 Concept and Principles of Tour Guiding.
Topic 4 Tour Management and Commentary Delivery.
Topic 5 Tourist Security, Safety and Health and the Tour Guide.
Topic 6 Codes of Conduct, Ethics and Responsible Tour Guiding.
Topic 7 Legal Aspects of Tour Guiding.
Topic 8 Trends and Future of Travel and Tour Guiding.
Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
The unit comprises of important learning components which include:
The concept of a tour guiding, roles and duties of a tour guide.
Develop and deliver commentaries in any attraction in Kenya.
1 Tour Guiding Skills
Understand challenges different environments pose to a tour guide.
Know basic medical first aid and emergency care.
Understand the Tourist Circuits of Kenya.
Knowledge of
2 Discuss tourist activities in each circuit.
Tourism Products
Explain the importance of knowledge in tour guiding
Interpersonal Development of effective verbal and non-verbal communication.
& Complaint handling, listening and responding to queries.
3
Communication Cross-cultural differences, group and demographic challenges.
Skills Display a set of desirable manners and etiquette in tour guiding.
Responsible Tourism.
4 Sensitization The Dos and Don'ts for a Tourist at Destinations.
Code of Conduct and Ethics in Tour Guiding.
Law of Contract and Contract of Agency
Legal Obligations Occupational Health, Security and Safety Laws.
5
in Tour Guiding Customer Protection.
Law of Torts and Vicarious Liability.
Topic 1
Introduction to Tour Guiding
By the end of this topic, learners shall be able to:
Understand the key terminologies as used in tour guiding.
Identify operational areas for tour guides.
Distinguish between different types of tour guides.
Discuss different types of tours.
Explain the history and evolution of tour guiding.
Terminologies in Tour Guiding
1 Tourists
People who travel to stay in places outside their usual environment for more than twenty
four (24) hours and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other
purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place
visited. (World Tourism Organization, 1995)
2 Tourist Attractions
The facilities, activities, locations or sights that a tourist visits, such as a monument,
museum or natural wonder. (Mancini, 2003)
Facilities developed especially to provide residents and visitors with entertainment, activity
learning, socializing and other forms of stimulation that make a region or destination a
desirable and enjoyable place. (Goeldner et al, 2006)
3 Travel
To go from one place to another, through an area, or for a specified distance.(Collins, 2006)
4 Effective Communication
Reciprocal sharing of information and ideas or written, oral and non-verbal information
according to a common set or rules e.g. language, non-verbal communication, symbols.
5 Tour
A travel journey for pleasure during which several tourist attractions are visited.
Terminologies in Tour GuidingCtd
6 Tour Guide
An individual either an employee of an attraction site or an affiliate of a duly licensed travel
agency or tour operator, whose sole role is to guide tourists, both foreign and domestic,
offering relevant information and direction, for a fee, commission or any lawful form of
remuneration at different kinds of tourist attractions.
A professional whose job is to lead or direct visitors in a country, while pointing out and
explaining to the travelers and tourists different places of interest.
A person who guides visitors in the language of their choice and interprets the cultural and
natural heritage of an area which the person normally possesses an area-specified
qualification usually issued and/or recognized by the appropriate authority.
(World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations, 2010)
A person who manages a groups movements over a multi-day tour and may also be called
a tour conductor, tour courier, tour escort, tour director or leader. (Mancini, 2003)
7 Tour Guiding
An interpretive program where insightful explanation of an attraction or site is provided to
the Tourists by a Tour Guide, Its length depends on the number of tourists and the type of
tour being undertaken.
8 Tour Commentaries/Spiels
The narrations a tour guide prepares and uses in order to explain and describe tourist
attractions to a tour group, which includes giving facts and answering questions from
tourists, as well as explaining local rules and taboos about the site.
Terminologies in Tour GuidingCtd.
9 Tour Itinerary
It is the line of travel, linking points in a passengers journey, beginning with the point of
departure, followed by those points traversed in the journey itself and ending at the
destination point. (International Air Travel Association,2011)
10 Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the
absence of disease.
11 Safety
This is the condition of being safe, free from danger, risk or injury.
12 Security
Any measure taken to ensure the safety of facilities, personnel and property.
13 Code of Conduct
A statement and description of required behaviors, responsibilities, and actions expected
of employees of an organization or of members of a professional body.
A code of conduct usually focuses on ethical and socially responsible issues and applies
to individuals, providing guidance on how to act in cases of doubt or confusion.
14 Interpretation
A mission-based communication process that creates emotional and intellectual
connections between the interests of the audience and meanings inherent in the resource.
Operational Areas for Tour Guides
1 Tour Operators
Tour operators hire tour guides as either escort guides or staff guides to accompany
tourists in the course the tour operations.
They report directly to the tour operators and coordinate the services of the suppliers on
behalf of the operators in the field.
2 Museums
They provide assistance, interpretation, information on cultural, historical and
contemporary heritage to tourists and general public.
They direct tourists through various sections of the museum ensuring that all areas are
covered and different themes articulated.
3 Attraction Sites
Attraction sites are also home to culture, history and contemporary heritage that require
the skills of a tour guide in interpretation and delivery of interesting commentaries.
4 National Parks and Reserves
Stationed at the park visitor center, they provide guided tours, interpretation through
orientation talks and ensure crowd management in the course of the tours.
They provide assistance with friendly wildlife to tourists wanting to interact with them while
keeping watch on any behavior change that may require tourist withdrawal.
Types of Tour Guides
1 Local Guide
A person competent enough to guide in a certain locality or area.
2 Freelance Guide
A guide that is not permanently connected with any travel agency and is paid on per trip
basis.
3 Staff Guide
A guide that is permanently connected with a tour Operator or Travel Agency and receives a
monthly salary.
4 Escort Guide
A person who accompanies a group of tourists from the point of origin to the destination,
and back to the origin. Usually handles groups check in and check out.
5 Linguist Guide
A person who speaks fluently two or more foreign languages and is used to translate
languages during tours.
6 Specialist Guide
A person who specializes in a certain field such as botany, architecture, etc.
7 Step-on-Guide
A person who conducts tours and provides commentary while traveling on a vehicle.
Types of Tour GuidesCtd.
8 On-site Guide
Conducts tours and is based at specific attractions for one or several hours.
9 Hop-on Guide
Accompany self-drive tourists in reserves, parks or heritage sites and cities or regions.
10 Meet-and-Greet Guide
Meets individuals or groups arriving at the airport. They also help visitors get their luggage
and may accompany or drive them to their hotel.
11 Educational Guides
A Guide that tends to student-study educational tours.
12 Driver Guide
A person who operates a tour vehicle while at the same time delivering commentaries to
the tourists.
13 Interpretive Guide
A person who is able to interpret the natural and cultural heritage of a community and
destination.
14 Transfer Guide
A person who receives tourists terminals; dealing mainly with the provision of general
information and reconfirming the destination programs acquired by the tourists
(hotels/ tours/etc.).
His main skills lie in-depth knowledge of the standard procedures at airports and
hotels: check in, flight reconfirmation, luggage logistics, among others.
Some Tourist Guides are categorized based on nature of the tourist

attraction they are based and the type of tours that they conduct, for
example ; Wilderness Guide, Eco-Tourist Guide, Forest Guide, Culture
Guide, Religious or Pilgrim Guide, Adventure Guide etc.
Tourism Environment or Type of Tour Type of Tour
Genre Setting Guiding Guide
General or Mass Any (Vary from one hour to
General Tour Guiding Generalist Guide
Tourism a day tour)
Group/Package Any (Usually extended and Tour Escorting Escort Guide
Tours overnight tours) Driver Guiding Driver Guide
Natural Environments
Nature Based Nature-based Guiding Nature Guide
(Vary from one hour to a
Tourism Eco-tour Guiding Eco-tour Guide
day and overnight tour)
Adventure Natural Environments
Adventure Guiding Adventure Guide
Tourism (Day and overnight Tour)
Heritage and Historical
Heritage/Cultural Heritage Interpreting/
Sites (Vary from one hour Interpretive Guide
Tourism Guiding
to a day Tour)
Cities/Towns/Shopping
City/Urban areas/Industrial Sites/
City/Urban Guiding City/Urban Guide
Tourism Tourist Attractions (Vary
from an hour to a day Tour)
Types of Tours
Water-Based Tours
Snorkeling
Scuba Diving
Canoeing
Kayaking
Yachting
Cruise Ship Tours
Ship-wreck Diving
White Water Rafting
Marine Wildlife
Watching : Fish, Plants,
Mammals and Reptiles.
Game Drives
Country Drives
Road Expeditions
Rural & City Tours
Mountain Biking
Desert/Bush Cycling
These are tours carried out within a
particular tourist attraction mostly on
foot. They include:
Nature trails : Animal Orphanage,
Karura forest, Got Ramogi, Kakamega
forest, Arabuko Sokoke forest etc.
Garden and Arboretum tours: Nairobi
Arboretum, Uhuru Garden and Uhuru
Park etc.
Museum and Heritage tours : Railway
Museum, Kit Mikayi, Thimlich Ohinga,
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum,
Fort Jesus etc.
Hiking and Trekking: Mount Kenya,
Nyambene Hills, Ngong Hills, Mount
Elgon, Ndere Island National Park etc.
Board walks : Wasini Island Coral
Garden.
Canopy walks : Ngare Ndare Forest.
Urban Tours : City tours (Nai ni Nani
Tours).
Aerial Tours
These are scenic tours
carried out using ways that
are aimed at providing
tourists with a bird-eye-
view of an attraction.
They take different forms:
Hot Air Balloon Tours :
Maasai Mara Reserve
Helicopter Tours
Airplane Tours
Zipline/Canopy Tours :
Kereita Forest in the
Aberdares.
History & Evolution
of Tour Guiding
Discuss the changing roles of guides from the Ancient Empire,
Middle Ages, Renaissance and Grand Tour, to the Modern Age.
Identify the early motivations for travel that fostered growth of
tour guides during different ages.
Explain the factors that hindered travel during early travel.
Discuss the contributions made to the travel industry by
Thomas Cook.
Evaluate the roles modern day tour guides have adopted from
the early guides.
History & Evolution of Tour Guiding
Guiding is one of the oldest professions in the world, there are plenty of specific references to
guides in the annals of history from the Roman Empire to the Middle Ages, throughout the
Renaissance and into the Modern Age.
The era of the great empires from 3000 B.C to 500 A.D. generated travel, Ancient
Persians, Assyrians and Egyptians traveled in an organized manner.
During the era of Greek Empire Tourism flourished and the number of guides
Ancient
1 increased, In Greek language the guide/leader/explainer is called periegetai or
Empire
exegetai.
Another term given to them was proxemos whose function was to help fellow
citizens in traveling abroad.
The period between the fall of Rome and the Renaissance and also known as the
Dark age.
Religious pilgrimage was prevalent at this time.
Encounters with the robbers along the way were very common, so those who
made pilgrimage travels were very much afraid to travel alone.
Middle
2 Encounters with the robbers along the way were very common, so those who
Age
made pilgrimage travels were very much afraid to travel alone.
References to guides during this period emphasize their roles as pathfinders,
protectors, safety escorts and even bridges to ensure safe passage.
According to Casson, a historian, a guide was paid a large fee because he not
only led the way but also generated safe-conduct to travelers.
History & Evolution of Tour GuidingCtd.
The image of tour guides was very much improved during the Renaissance.
Young men of the upper classes traveled from Britain on the Grand Tour, a
prescribed route from England through France, Germany, Austria,
Switzerland to Italy which was the final destination.
The Grand Tourist was expected to return from his travel with a broadened
mind, a good command of foreign languages, self-reliance, a highly
developed taste and graceful manner.
Renaissance Since these journeys were taken for educational and cultural reasons, the
& individuals or groups were usually assigned a personal tutor.
3
The Grand The Tutor was called a bear leader, Antiquarii or Cicerone, who would
Tour remain with the traveler and his entourage throughout the journey.
Many of the tutors and guide of the era of the Grand Tour are distinguished
clergy, students, teachers, writers and historians.
Many references were made during the Renaissance to British and
European royalty and rich individuals hiring guides.
According to Francis Bacon, a British writer remarked on the need for a
personal guide/courier when traveling especially one who was a linguist
and who knows the right people to meet and the proper things to do.
During the 17th and 18th century, travelers to and within the New World were
explorers rather than pleasure travelers. The first travelers were ordinary often
indigent explorers who traveled a lot to find a new way of life.
The inhabitants of the New World and Continent did not have the holiday
allure of the Old World, few New World travelers and guides are known to
have existed during this period.
Modern Due to the great distance and limitations of transportation, time and money,
4
Age pleasure travel to and from the New World was undertaken by a few
privileged and curious Europeans.
The three well-known European writers who visited the New World in this
period are: Charles Dickens, Francis Trollope, and Alexis de Tocqueville
traveled widely and wrote comprehensive accounts of their travels and
mentioned some of their guides.
He organized the then famed Thomas Cook Excursion Panels between
1841 and 1891.
In 1841 he arranged for the transport and food for 540 campaigners to a
rally 11 miles away, for the amount paid by each campaigners, it was
inclusive of rail tickets and food.
It was at this time that the first chartered excursion train was advertised
to the public.
In 1850s he offered the Grand circular tours of Europe which was a tour
Thomas Cook by the Monarch of its subjects in the different regions which make up the
5
Tours Kingdom.
In 1866 he was the first to introduce the hotel coupon.
From 1847 to 1922, Thomas Cook and Sons published tourist handbooks
for different European countries.
The first tour operator went into business in England in 1758 and is still in
business today.
Pleasure travel in Europe started during the 1840s when Thomas Cook
began conducting tours to Paris and later around Europe.
Thomas Cook travel agency giving the training to the guides during the
twentieth century.
England was one of the first countries to regulate and train guides.
London Country Council and the Regent street Polytechnic start training
courses for guides in 1936 to 1939.
European guides have been widely regarded as having the most
Tour Guiding advanced training and the highest guiding standards in the world.
6
in Europe The only exception is Israel which has the worlds best trained, most
highly respected and best paid guides.
The development in tour guiding occurred after World War II when
travelers visited Europe.
The London Country Council reestablished its guide training program
and the Tourist Authority established in 1949 to 1951 an official status for
approved guides that accredited guides with a badge and certificate.
The Origin of Tour Guiding comes from a person who would lead a tourism party through an
unfamiliar terrain, they would show the way/route to travelers.
Early travelers were often accompanied by guides who had become familiar with the routes of
earlier trips.
As travelling became common and people frequently travelled for leisure and fun, they
started seeking the support from companions who were expected to take good care of them.
During the 19th century, women and young children were not expected to travel alone,
relatives or house servants often acted as their companions.
Travelers sought support from experts who could interpret nature and local culture to them
giving birth to the demand and rise of the professional tour guide.
By the 1850s, railroad tours were already in operation with modern tour operators i.e.
companies that organize group tours and independent travel packages
Tour Operators developed itineraries and secure accommodations for their wealthy clients
and out of this the business ,selling planned tours to travelers developed.
Today, tour guides act as escorts for people visiting foreign countries and provide them with
additional information on interesting facets of life in another part of the world.
In a way, tour guides today have taken the place of the early scouts, acting as experts in
settings and situations that other people find unfamiliar.
Concepts & Principles
of Tour Guiding
Discuss the concept of tour guiding.
Explain the roles of tour guides.
Explain the duties and responsibilities of tour guides.
Assess the qualities for an effective tour guide.
Evaluate the skills necessary for effective tour guiding.
Introduction toThe
Concept
Concept
of Tour
of Tour
Guiding
Guiding
Traditionally the role of the guide has been focused on two issues, one the
pathfinder and a mentor.
Pathfinder : One who leads others through social and natural areas unknown to its
travelers.
Mentor : A person serving as a guru to the seeker, guiding towards insight and
enlightenment.
Cohen argues that while the modern tour guide have origins as either pathfinder
or mentor, these roles have now developed into leadership and mediatory roles.
Cohen
Under leadership, the guide must give direction to the tour, control the group and
(1985)
is responsible for the social component which involves tension management,
serving as an integrating force, maintaining morale and providing animation.
The mediatory role sees a tour guide as a middleman between his party and the
local population. He interposes himself between the party and the environment
making it non-threatening to his party.
Communication is a principal role of the guide under the mediatory sphere. He
influences his group by the objects of interest he selects to point out and the
information and interpretation he provides.
Concept ofofTour
Concepts TourGuidingCtd
Guiding
Communication Tour Guiding is a means of communication with the public whereby
Tool relevance of sites are revealed, attention are drawn to the tourist assets
and underlining the details and inter-linkages that would often stay
hidden from tourists.
Interpretation is much more than providing information, it is a
communication process where participants (interpreter & visitor)
mutually affect each other.
Management Tool Enhancing of visitor attitude and understanding of the tourist site.
Educational It is an educational activity meant to influence visitor attitude and
and behavior in order to enhance the desired ethics e.g. conservation,
Learning Process responsible tourism, respect for host culture etc.
The Cause and Effect

of
Tour Guiding
Principles of Tour GuidingCtd.
Today, travelers seek support from experts who can provide them with services in the destinations
in multitude of ways which include the following:
In many instances, the tour guide acts as an interpreter in foreign languages
1 Interpreter for the travelers.
The tour guide also interprets information, sites and attractions to the tourists.
The tour guide is a presenter for the travelers as he or she provides relevant
2 Presenter
and interesting commentaries on sites seen and places visited.
The tour guide is also a care giver for the travelers as he or she provides relief
3 Care-giver to unpleasant situations at the most difficult times.
They maintain the safety and security of tourists at all times.
The tour guide is the representative of the tour operator in the field.
4 Overseer Tour guides are responsible to the tour operator for any unplanned failure of
other suppliers to deliver confirmed services.
Tour guides act as the link between the various suppliers and coordinates the
delivery of services from each.
5 Coordinator
The supervision of luggage and van handlers is coordinated by the tour guide
and assisted by the courier.
The tour guide makes sure that the services are provided in a timely fashion
6 Timekeeper
and within the scheduled time as per the tour itinerary.
Tour guides in the course of their profession operate between cultures thus
7 Mediator
naturally playing the role of inter-cultural mediation.
Duties & Responsibilities of the Tour Guide
Provide information and explanations about an attraction honestly and
never take advantage of the ignorance of the tourists.
1 Honesty
Use common sense by being honest and saying I dont know.. or I will
check.
Act fairly and reasonable in all dealings with co-workers, host communities
2 Fairness
and tourists.
Ensure factual presentations by distinguishing legends, truth, stories and
3 Factual
traditions.
Always act with tact and diplomacy in dealing with the guests.
4 Tactful
Act as a link between the visitor, the area and its people.
Ensure tourist safety and warn them on: Plants that might cause some
allergies, unsuitable food and drinks, elevations for those with fear of
5 Safety
height, dangerous wildlife, pickpockets etc.
They try to ensure that the tour will be enjoyable and safe.
Protect the reputation of tourism by making every assignment a treat, with
6 Responsible respect to the environment, wildlife sites and monuments, local customs
and traditions.
Skills for Effective Tour Guiding
In the competitive environment of Tour Guiding to be successful today requires
the right balance of two sets of skills : Hard and Soft Skills.
They are also called Technical Skills and they help us perform a job well.
Schools, Colleges, Universities amongst other training institutions like The
Technical University of Kenya do a good job in imparting hard skills in tour
guiding through its tourism and travel management training program at
Hard Skills
certificate, diploma and degree level.
They are the basic technical and administrative procedures which are
prerequisites to perform a job and can also be derived from books or hands-
on-experience and training.
They are easy to observe, quantify and measure, they are also easy to train
because mostly the skills are new to the learner.
They are also called people skills and are desired qualities that does not depend
on acquired knowledge.
Soft Skills
They are a cluster of personality traits, social graces, facility with language,
personal habits, friendliness etc. that make people vary.
Skills for Effective Tour GuidingCtd.
Qualities of an Effective Tour Guide
Being outgoing with entertaining skills with a liking and
1 Pleasing Personality
understanding towards other peoples diversities.
Genuine Interest in Caring, courteous, respectful, empathetic, patient and diplomatic.
2
People Should be a peoples-people who tolerates diverse personalities.
3 Resourcefulness Being flexible, able to think creatively and improvise fast.
Good sense of Taking charge of a group and being able to manage them
4
leadership effectively at different situations.
Good organizational Being able to stick to time, itinerary program and oversee the
5
skills smooth running of the tour.
Incident & crisis Being able to remain calm, implementing occupational health and
6
management skills safety procedures amongst other contingency plans.
7 Research skills Ability to find information and display eagerness to know more.
Be loyal to the tour operator/employer and do not engage in
8 Sense of Ethics
unethical actions for financial gain.
Be able to recognize diverse cultures, adapt to accommodate
Sensitive
people from all nationalities and backgrounds.
&
9 Abiding to local procedures and contributing towards responsible
Respectful
and sustainable tourism.
Qualities of an Effective Tour GuideCtd.
A tour guide should always portray his/her country positively and
build a good image.
10 Love for ones In any service shortfalls arising from national systems, remember to
country cite ongoing efforts and improvements.
Emphasize on the positive aspects of the commentaries and let the
love of country and people show in your words and deeds.
Proficient in spoken and taught languages.
Use of words that are simple and easy to understand.
Try as much as possible to always get rid of local accent.
Good
11 Use synonyms to explain/describe something.
communication
Use non-verbal communication in difficult situations.
skills
Speak audibly, not too soft and not too loud.
Conduct the commentary in a relaxed and entertaining way.
Give tourists time to brainstorm on your explanations.
Be on time for tours, conduct the tour itinerary in timely fashion.
12 Punctuality Manage the group movement considering time allocation at site
seeing spots and other attractions, dont be too fast or slow.
Show confidence through the body language, maintain eye contact
13 Confidence
while responding to tourist questions and always smile.
Always conduct tours while in perfect health physically, emotionally
14 Good Health
and socially.
Qualities of an Effective Tour GuideCtd.
Avoid taking/making phone calls or replying to text messages while on
15 Professional duty.
In case of incidences, take a professional approach to solve them
following set guidelines and procedures, avoid personalizing issues.
A tour guide should always report to duty in clean uniform, shoes, well
Grooming kept hair, short nails and clean teeth.
16 & For female tour guides, flat shoes or boots should be appropriate, shorts
Dress Code or trousers and short hair.
Avoid usage of strong body oils and perfumes, lipsticks and nail colors.
Encourage responsible and sensitive behavior from the tourists that
17 Responsible respects local culture and sensitivities, behave with consideration of
others.
Make prompt choices while keeping the general welfare of the tourists in
18 Decisive mind and follow the majority rule bearing in mind that you cannot please
everybody.
19 Entertaining Use the skills learned to interest and entertain the tourists while
delivering commentaries.
Tour guides should be thoroughly knowledgeable about the cities,
20 Knowledge regions and countries where they work.
Tour guides help travelers to understand the culture of the region and
the way of life of its inhabitants.
Updating Tour Guiding Knowledge
A practicing Tour Guide has various ways available for him/her to find new information and
expand knowledge.
However, the method chosen should be:
Easily available : It can be found and used in the local area e.g. library.
Cheap to use or low cost : It should ensure adequate learning at low costs in short time.
The figure below shows possible ways that can be explored by a tour guide:
Updating Tour Guiding Knowledge
Talking & Reading Field Work Monitoring

Listening Media &
Experts Internet Site Visits Current Events
Site Staff Books Be a Tourist
Other Guides Brochures Participating in Newspapers
Tourists Travel Guides activities e.g. Magazines
Operational conservation Tourism
Managers Associations
Television
Tour Management
&
Commentary Delivery
Highlight the Dos and Don'ts for leading tours.
Explain the strategies for tour management.
Discuss the preparation process for leading group tours.
Describe the planning and delivery of tour commentaries.
Discuss strategies for handling special needs tourists.
Prepare a tour commentary for any region in Kenya
Dos and Don't for Leading Tours
Be punctual at all times. Be there at least one hour before the tour starts.
In cases of having more than one guide, find some time to sit down, discuss
to synchronize information and learn from each other.
Preparation Study the destination prior to the tour to be cognizant and prepared to
answer any questions that may be asked by the tourists.
Have an update of global and local news as well as environmental, cultural
and economical issues.
Plan your commentary in a structured fashion that is coherent and
Planning eliminates time wastage or repetition.
Be ready for pertinent and impertinent questions.
Be aware of basic human behavior, attitudes and personalities.
Awareness Intercede when necessary during the interactions between tourists and
locals.
Never tell your personal life at first meeting.
Never sell anything at first meeting unless they ask.
Professionalism Learn how to say NO to indecent proposals.
& Incase of problems, approach them professionally.
Ethics Be practical when making judgment, think if its benefits the majority.
Always make a head count before, during and after the tour, especially after
stops.
Materials Required for a Tour Guide
The Itinerary. Passenger List.
Daily & General Tour Report. Optional Tour List.
General Tour Report. Passenger Questionnaire.
Forms
Time Sheets. Emergency Form.
Expense Sheet. Confirmation Copies.
Seating Chart. Supplier, Activity & Rooming Lists.
Miscellaneous Items: Plastic Bottled Drinking Water.
Trash Bags, Birthday or Credit Cards.
Supplies
Anniversary Cards, Luggage or Vouchers & Tickets.
Duct Tape.
Electronic Translator. Personal Digital Assistant (PDA).
Gadgets Cellular Phone. First Aid Kit.
Public Address System. Global Positioning System (GPS)
Maps. Travel & First Aid Manuals.
References
Tour Guide Book. Emergency & Ground Handler Call List.
Materials Required for a Tour GuideCtd.
An itinerary is a listing of a tours day-to-day activities. Tour managers work
Tour Itinerary with two different itineraries.
The first is the one clients see, which often appears in the sales brochure. The
second itinerary is a more extensive one for the tour managers use.
Things To Do Tour managers must remember dozens of little details. An even better
List method is to use a checklist of reminders.
Organizations that provide tour operators with services are called suppliers.
Supplier List The most common suppliers include hotels, airlines, cruise lines, bus
companies, restaurants, and attractions.
On this form, a tour conductor reports delays, problems, or other unusual
General Tour occurrences. The tour conductor also profiles the group on this form.
Report Finally, a general tour report usually asks a tour director to evaluate service
from the personnel at hotels, restaurants, airlines, cruise lines, and attractions.
Daily Tour Tour Guides use this report to record the daily experiences and progress of
Report the Tour to be submitted to the tour operator at the end of the itinerary.
A few companies, especially those that pay an hourly rate, will require you to
Time Sheets
log in your working hours for each day on a company time sheet.
Copies of Some tour operators provide tour managers with photocopies of
Confirmations confirmations, with prices and dates agreed upon, from each supplier.
Several weeks before a tour begins, the tour operator must send a list of
Rooming List
passengers for that tour to each hotel being used.
Materials Required for a Tour GuideCtd.
To be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses, youll probably have to use a
Expense Sheet special form to list each expense.
Occasionally, a special form for telephone expenses will also be required.
This document lists vital information on each client.
Passenger List Information such as a name, home address, and telephone number will be
crucial in an emergency.
Blank Seating On most tours, passengers are given assigned seats on aircraft, trains, tour
Chart vans and even coaches.
Many tour companies offer extra side tours to clients at an additional cost.
Optional Tour
On this form, tour managers note which clients have signed up for extra
List
cost services.
Tourist Tour operators are interested in feedback from clients at the end of a tour.
Questionnaire Questionnaires are the best way to obtain first hand information.
For legal purposes, a tour operator must receive a detailed report on any
Emergency accident, sickness, or death that occurs during a tour.
Form This form must be filled out carefully, with all circumstances, time and date
of occurrences, and responses made clearly described.
Procedure for Tour Management
Pre-Tour Study your tour assignment thoroughly.
Be aware of the composition of the group. (children, teens, senior citizens, if
foreign know their nationality, their language, culture etc.)
Review the itinerary.
Check to see if any special holiday(s)/activities occur during the tour.
Be aware of cash advances, vouchers and tickets that will be required.
Know the vehicle to be used, plate number and name of the driver/coordinator.
On-Tour Be punctual at least one hour prior to the tour commencement.
Make sure you have complete names of guests, cash advances and tour vouchers.
Check your transport amenities (luggage, microphones, trash bins, etc.).
Meet and greet the group.
Discuss itinerary, rules and regulations, check other concerns and hand out
essential documents.
Deliver your spiel/ or commentaries for the tour.
Announce inclusions of the tour and what to expect.
Announce the next days itinerary and give instructions.
End the day/tour by thanking the guests and wishing them a good night/evening.
Post-Tour Gather all collected vouchers
Prepare and submit tour report immediately after the tour (Report on unusual
events that occurred which need improvement or should be encouraged)
Accomplish financial report with receipts, vouchers and other documents.
Tips to Remember
Confirm the interests and expectations of the tourists at the outset of the tour. This is
preparatory work before the tour.
Begin with a smile, greeting and introduction, show a warm welcome to the tourists.
Always state your name and designation prior to the tour.
Brief the guests about the purpose of the tour for the day and what to expect from the tour,
the locations, events, activities and places of visit.
Review the inclusions and exclusions of the tour.
Enroute to attractions as well as sites while presenting the commentary beforehand in a
conversational rather than memorized or noted manner.
Give the distance and traveling time of the destination
Give necessary precautions
Do not miss to point important landmarks along the way
Provide a brief history of places and events or activities.
Announce comfort stops and always do a head count after every stop.
Preparing the Tour Commentary
Tour Commentaries are narratives used by tour guides to describe a site and provide
information about various aspects of a country to tourists while on tour.
Generally referred to as guide speak they include general information and local stories
about attractions, events and personalities in a country, attraction or site.
Procedure for preparing tour commentaries includes:
1 Establishing the needs and interests of the tour group.
2 Confirming the itinerary.
3 Accessing sources of information about sites to be visited.
4 Researching facts about the attractions to be visited.
5 Preparing the text of the commentary based on established facts.
A tour guide should prepare the spiel/commentary before the tour starts and is composed of the
following main parts:
Introduction.
Briefing.
Presentation.
Closing.
Planning the Tour CommentaryCtd.
The following guideline should be followed in planning and delivering the spiel:
1 Know the content of your spiel backwards and forward, but don't memorize in verbatim.
Distractions or interruptions, including questions from your audience, will leave you floundering.
Instead, learn the concepts and meaning exhaustively and deliver them with an inflection that
reflects both enthusiasm and authority.
This will also let you answer questions and segue back into your spiel. The way you deliver the
spiel can be just as important as what you say, so take the time to work on it.
2 Project the right body language.
Stand up straight to convey confidence in your product as you pitch your spiel. Shake hands
firmly, but not too forcefully. Maintain confident, yet easy-going body language so you appear
approachable but not aggressive.
Take your cues from the potential client so see if your body language is mirrored or if you need
to tone it down.
3 Build natural rapport with your audience.
Whether it is a single person or a group, pay attention to their reactions, especially their facial
expressions and body language, as you deliver your spiel.
Watch for signs of boredom or discomfort adjust your spiel accordingly, for example, fidgeting,
yawning and checking the time are signs of boredom.
Recapture attention by interrupting your spiel to relate a short personal experience or by moving
about to focus their attention on you.
If you're extremely confident and talking to one person, you can grasp his arm or shoulder while
making an important point as if to take him into your confidence.
Delivery of Commentaries
Confirm the interests and expectations of the tourists at the outset of the tour.
This is preparatory task done before the tour.
Start by introducing yourself and clearly state your name and designation, the
purpose of the tour, the distance to be travelled, locations, events, expectations
and activities.
Enroute to the attractions/sites, present the commentary in a conversational
rather than noted or memorized manner.
Make the commentary interesting, relevant, simple and delivered in a logical
sequence.
Be sensitive to the groups interests and deliver the commentary tailored to the
group.
On Transit
Seek feedback throughout the tour to ensure tourist attention is fostered.
Respond to enquiries accurately and positively, when an answer is not available,
refer to field guides and other sources of information.
Focus on what you know, be specific and express the information in terms of
what the tourists can see.
If an answer is not available for a query, apologize and refer the enquiry to an
alternative source of information.
Be accommodating and flexible towards members of the group allowing for
different points of view and ways of doing things.
Allow enough time at each stop to allow tourists to fully enjoy and gain
information with private time at the stop.
Delivery of CommentariesCtd.
Start with a greetings and introductions.
Deliver the commentary in a manner that makes the guests interested.
Deliver the information using good sense of humor.
Remember commentaries help people understand and appreciate what they see.
Face the group, not a few, speak slowly and clearly with audible voice.
Always maintain eye contact.
Prepare yourself for questions to be asked.
Take control of your breathing and emphasize important words.
At Sites Use synonyms and examples when making explanations.
When mentioning a local name, repeat it or spell it.
Maintain silence, if the need arises.
Listen carefully to questions and other concerns.
Never argue with the tourists.
End your tour always by thanking the guests and wishing them a good day
/evening/ night.
Issue questionnaires to track the satisfaction levels of each tourists and gain their
feedback and recommendations.
Fostering Attention and Participation
Tools for Fostering
Attention & Participation
Verbal Non-verbal
Voice Pace Gesture
Punctuation Posture
Articulation Eye Contact
Voice Pitch Facial Expressions
Voice Volume Body Language
Paraphrasing
Change the speed of your voice.

A consistent pace of voice can make the delivery of commentaries ineffective.
Varying the speed of your voice depending upon the tourists and purpose of your
communication.
When you have to gain attention and excite the tourists speak quickly and enthusiastically.
When you want the tourists to pay attention to your words speak slowly.
Fostering Attention and ParticipationCtd.
Punctuate with pauses
It is important during the commentary delivery to break the flow of information so that the
tourists can comprehend what they have heard.
Generally a pause in the commentary delivery is taken when a tour guide has conveyed an
important point or wants the tourists to anticipate.
Articulate clearly
It is very important that your commentary is clear to the audience.
Avoid technical terms unless explained and use the simplest word often.
Learn basic foreign terms and phrases even if you are not a linguist.
For this you should have expertise in pronunciation and articulate each word clearly when
you speak to gain more confidence and clarity.
Shift the pitch of your voice.
Frequency of speech is called pitch of voice, depending upon the aim of the speech you can
use high and low pitches at times .
Using extremes can tarnish the success of your commentary delivery.
Control voice volume
Volume of voice creates a direct impact on the audience, an average volume should be used
in general .
But again depending upon the aim of the commentary, it can be loud or soft. When you use
a combination of loudness and softness in your communication it adds special effect to the
commentary.
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is simply explaining statements or remarks in shortened or renowned versions
of facts so as to clarify the meaning the tourists need.
Consider the following case:
A group of tourists visiting Ndere National Park in Kenya is on a scenic Island tour. On route, the
bus passes through Port Victoria located on the West of the Island in Kisumu, near the site of the
landing of the British in 1945. The tour guide had previously read the following extract and wishes
to paraphrase the facts to the group.
A paraphrase of the example can be:
Ndere Island National Park is one of the Scenic Islands of Lake Victoria located in Kisumu. Port
Victoria (Where we are now) is significant as a 1945 landing site of the British in Kenya.
Holetown is one of three (3) towns in Barbados situated in the parish of St. James (where we are
now). The significance of Holetown is the 1635 landing site of the British.
Use of Gestures
A gesture can communicate all that the tour guide feels, consciously or unconsciously.
Shaking of hands, head, holding, embracing or patting on the back, all convey varied
messages.
Eye Contact
Eye contact is significant for effective commentary delivery during Tour Guiding.
The frequency of contact may suggest either interest or boredom.
For example, a Tourist Guide should look straight into the eyes of the tourists, although
pleasantly and affably to show confidence and interest.
Facial Expression
Facial expressions are most natural and unconscious, they continually change during
interaction and are observed constantly by the audience.
Smiling is considered to be pleasant and helpful.
Posture
A tour guide has to cultivate and maintain elegance in his or her standing and walking
postures as it conveys message about his or her personality.
Keeping Tourists Enthusiastic
The tour duration affects the amount and energy the tour guide needs to use with the idea
being having the tourists happy and enthused throughout the duration of the tour.
To keep the group enthusiastic, the tour guide needs to:
People travel for enjoyment so present the facts in a witty and
1 Keep the humorous fashion.
commentary light However do not be a stand-up comedian, always modulate your
voice for variation and emphasis.
2 Keep the Each country or province has problems do not dwell on them and
narrations positive constantly highlight the improvements and progress made on them.
Groups are curious about the guides personal and professional life,
3 Personalize the turn this curiosity to an advantage and weave some personal
information information into the commentary.
Be aware that your life does not become the tour.
Tailor the information to each particular group. If the group is
Know your
4 farmers or accountants, point out sites that they might find most
audience & involve
interesting.
them
Schedule and allow many photo opportunities as the tour will allow.
Present information in a scholarly manner that is accurate and
Be accurate
5 specific.
&
Quiz the visitors on the commentary to add some entertainment
Specific
and interest.
Developing Rapport, Cohesiveness & Order
The following tips can help guides develop rapport and maintain cohesiveness and order during
the tour:
A guide should have a mastery of his subject, tourists will respect a guide who knows his
subject well.
Adopt an attitude of friendliness and take responsibility for creating and maintaining
harmony.
Let visitors know that their enjoyment is of primary concern.
Respect others and be a careful concerned listener. Establish an environment in which each
person feels free to contribute, is more interesting and advantageous to everyone. In this way,
visitors are more likely to approach a guide with minor issues before they become major
problems.
Give clear instructions, a guide who says well be leaving in about ten minutes guarantee a
late departure. A clearer approach is to say we will be departing at eleven sharp, according
to my watch it is not ten forty.
Dont give ultimatums that cannot or will not be enforced. An example of this is to tell people
that they will be left behind if they are late. Will they? Although leaving behind a perennially
late person may be extremely popular with other tour members, it should never be done
without considerable warning and care.
Follow through on promises. It is best to be conservative with promises and do not mention
places and events that tourists may not be able to see.
Avoid playing favorites, treat everyone the same. This can often be difficult since guides like
all people have preferences.
Keeping your Spiel up-to-date
Keeping the commentary updated is fundamental to enjoying the tour guiding job and for a
repeat visitor, the commentary remains top-notch. A tour commentary can be kept lively using
the following ways:
1 Keeping up-to-date with what is new in the subject matter or at the site.
This gives some measure of energy to the tour guide and subsequently to the narration.
2 Striving for continuous improvement in the performance.
Review the daily performance, take an informal poll of the visitors and make amendments
each tour time.
3 Look at the site or attraction products through the eyes of the visitor.
Remember, most may be seeing the site(s) for the first time. Imagine what can be
improved, what may be of interest and anticipate questions so that the answers may be
ready.
4 As a performer, draw on the groups energy.
The guide may feel renewed during the many hours of the tour by looking at the visitors
reactions, feeling their enthusiasm, asking open questions to ensure active participation
and eliminate boredom.
Guiding Tourists
with
Special Needs
Identify the enabling factors that have led to
increased number of travelers with disabilities.
Discuss the tour guiding techniques applicable
when dealing with various disabilities.
Explain the general guidelines for working with
people with disabilities.
Describe the new opportunities for travelers
with disabilities.
Growth in Travelers with Disabilities
Recent years have seen an overwhelming increase in the percentage of travelers with
disabilities with the number likely to rise in the future.
The 1990s and the succeeding decades have provided increased opportunities for people
with special needs.
Presently there is a tremendous increase in the numbers of travelers with disabilities with the
percentage expected to increase in the future due to the following reasons:
1 The increase in the average ages of the traveling population.
As travelers grow older, it is likely that illnesses and accidents that will cause limitations will
occur, hence there will be more people living with disabilities which is evident worldwide in
modern cities.
2 Recognition of the disabled
The world is gradually recognizing people with disabilities with the construction of
flattened curbs, ramps, braille signs, disabled parking area, wash rooms etc.. with
additional educational and support organizations and programs having been established.
In Kenya, there are positions for representation of the disabled in the national and local
government which have been set up to give the disabled a voice.
Although only a small percentage of guides will meet some persons with disabilities during
tours, it is important for both the guide and the traveler that guides understand the common
disabilities and the various ways to make the tours more accessible, enjoyable, enlightening
for people with disabilities.
There are general guidelines that have been developed for guides to adopt when working
with people with disabilities.
Tourists with Special Needs
While travelling to other places, some tourists have special needs which service providers
should cater for by adjusting their existing services or providing extra ones to them.
These particular needs may be due to a disability affecting mobility, speech, hearing, sight or
mental health of the customer while other may be as a result of age, economic position,
physical state as at that moment amongst others.
Tourists who may be considered as having special needs include the following:
VIPs require the service and attention of specially trained guides in
1 Very Important some instances.
Persons (VIPs) They may benefit from having special arrangements of service checks
upon arrival and departure at attractions, airports and hotels.
Children are sensitive to health issues and active thus require special
2 Children attention when providing them with meals and activities at attractions.
They should never be left alone at any one time or unaccompanied as
they may get lost, hurt or play with dangerous objects or animals.
Although often accompanied by an adult, they may require outlets with
3 Infants
baby food, diapers, bassinets etc.
Tourists with Special Needs
Elderly tourists require special care, e.g. special meals.
4 Elderly Tourists They may request for an assistant to aid in their movements at
attractions, when boarding and disembarking the tour van etc.
Allow extra time for the tour as many activities will take longer, such as
getting on and off a motor coach, eating and walking anywhere.
Pause frequently and make several short stops on walking tours.
Be particularly attentive to fatigue or any signs of stress or illness. If a
participant becomes frightened or short of breath, allow him to sit and
rest for at least a few minutes.
Pay close attention to special medical problems or difficulties and their
status.
Since hearing and memory problems are more common as people age,
always repeat instructions, especially meeting times.
Do not underestimate older people as some are incredibly wise and
guides can learn from them.
5 Expectant Depending with the stage of pregnancy, certain activities or level of
Tourists indulgence may be limited for these tourists.
They require soft adventure, clean accommodation, food and water
during tours, an attendant to assist them incase needed.
Tourists with Special NeedsCtd.
The disabled vary in their disability ranging from hearing, seeing, walking,
6 Disabled talking or even moving.
Some disable may bring along guide dogs, hearing devices, wheel chairs
to aid them during the tour, in hotels, airports and restaurants.
Some tourists have chronic conditions that they manage using prescribed
7 Tourists with medication e.g. Asthma, Disorders and Allergies.
medical This group need close fostering in any activity, attraction, hotel and
conditions transport mode, the food they eat and their daily encounters.
The tour guide should have medical emergency numbers and in some
cases knowledge of procedures to follow incase of eventuality.
Religious travelers are sensitive to destinations they visit, what they eat,
Religious
8 activities undertaken and what they see.
Travelers
They may require special meals, a prayer room or area etc.
General guidelines for working with the Disabled
1 Understanding that a slower pace is necessary
If a group might visit four sites in three hours, a group of travelers with disabilities may
take longer as loading and unloading of wheelchairs from motor coaches, moving or
carrying people and looking for handicapped entrances etc. might take time.
People with disabilities have accepted the situation and are comfortable with it, hurrying
people will only frustrate the group and the guide and will make the group angry.
2 Recognition of varying individual level of disabilities
Guides should begin a tour without expecting a group or individuals level of ability to be
the same because every person with disability is different and has his or her own
weaknesses and strengths.
3 Knowledge of disabled support facilities
Guides should know all the entrances and access to buildings included during the tour as
many of the buildings designated as accessible may have limited accessibility during the
tour.
For example, a building may have an access ramp but may not have an elevator, this
means that all floors except the first floor are inaccessible.
It is the guides responsibility to visit a site before the tour in order to save on time and
avoid frustration.
General guidelines for working with the Disabled
4 Knowledge of special services
The guide should be aware of the existing special services in attractions and tourist
facilities that may enhance the tour and make it comfortable.
Several places such as airports, museums, public buildings offer special services for people
with disabilities.
5 Consideration of the ability and pace of the group
When traveling with a group with only one or two persons with disabilities, the guides
must consider the abilities and pace of the whole group especially for those of travelers
with disabilities.
One way to serve both is to offer free time at certain places, allowing people to explore at
their own pace.
Guides should inform a person with disability in advance if there is a forthcoming obstacle
and in some cases, the person may choose to stay behind or the guide may suggest that
he or she may browse at the shops or near the motor coach.
Responding to Tourists with Disabilities
The following are important points for tour guides to remember when dealing with travelers with
disabilities:
1 Treat all travelers with dignity and respect.
2 Always offer help and respect the response for your offer of assistance.
3 Always communicate in a very clear manner so that everyone can understand.
4 Learn more about disabilities and ways to enhance the tours for travelers with disabilities.
5 Be observant for signs of disability.
The following guidelines are used for enhancing tours for tourists with disabilities:
Before commencement of the tour, give a clear overview of the tour by
describing where the group is expected to go, what the group is expected to
see, how long it will take and what they will learn.
Know what behavior is expected from them as well as specific rules of conduct.
Repeat important or difficult ideas and always ask the group if they have any
Learning
questions.
Impairment
Use different methods of learning and involve a variety of senses.
Use a variety of approaches since there are different kinds of learning
disabilities.
Some learning disabilities include : hyper-activity, hypo-activity, inattention, lack of
coordination, perceptual disorders and memory disorders etc.
Responding to Tourists with DisabilitiesCtd
Look at the tourist for him/her to see your face.
Form words making full use of the mouth for them to read your lips.
Speak slowly, deliberately and do not shout.
Hearing Check for the tourists understanding.
impairment Use body language (hand and facial expressions) to support the message.
Remember, it is not their intelligence that causes the communication difficulty
thus, do not talk down on them and be patient.
Consider writing things down and showing your words to the customer.
Listen carefully for what the tourist is asking/suggesting using gestures.
Tactfully ask him/her to repeat anything you do not understand.
Speech Be sympathetic as he/she may be frustrated by the difficulty.
impairment Be patient, do not rush or interrupt the tourist.
Once aware of the message, confirm your understanding.
Avail a pen a paper for the tourist to write something upon request.
If someone is able to perform sign language, ask for help.
Use descriptive words and be prepared to show things you would have shown
to a sighted tourist.
Visual Remember it is only the visual element of communication that causes difficulty
impairment for this group of tourists.
Accompany and always explain what you are doing to the tourists.
The tour operator should provide information on attractions and activities of
the itinerary to the tourists in braille format.
What to avoid when Guiding all groups
Being cold to The failure of guides to be friendly and sincere and the lack of desire to share
tourists ones self with tourists expresses coldness towards them.
Most travelers regard meeting people as the primary reason for traveling thus,
having a cold guide turns them off.
Treating The attitude of treating visitors on a lower level is a common complaint of visitors.
tourists with A guides who talks to primary school students using the same tone as he speaks
Condescension to fourth year university students or one that assumes that every senior citizen
has hearing difficulty unknowingly insults the guests.
The top-notch guide has several ways to determine a groups level of
understanding including questioning, listening and encouraging participation.
Working like a Over the years guiding has attracted many robots as guides have adapted the I
Robot can do this with my eyes closed attitude. Such behavior is offensive as it shows
there is lack of interest and it is tiresome for the listeners and the guide as well.
Getting hung- Several service leaders propose that guides should refrain from saying sorry, our
up on the rules policy is if they are not convinced that deviating from the rule book is
detrimental to anyone.
Although itineraries serve several purposes for the guide and tourists, they are
seldom followed to the latter with most companies furnishing itineraries to visitors
avoiding noting times to avoid having clung on by visitors and guides.
Giving visitors In a case where a task falls outside the guides responsibility or expertise, his or
the run-around her handling of the situation can make the difference between the visitor getting
assistance or feeling as if he is getting the run-around.
The guide should not refer them to places where they are unlikely to be helped.
Tourist Security, Safety & Health
&
The Tour Guide
By the end of this unit, learners shall be able to:
Explain role of the tour guide towards overcoming health, safety
and security risks during the tour.
Discuss the implications of disregarding or ignoring health, safety
and security precautions.
Realize the impact tour guides intervention on health, safety and
security of tourists.
Outline the general procedures for health, safety and security in
tour guiding.
Tourist Security
&
The Tour Guide
Discuss different forms of crimes tourists fall victim of
while at destinations and attractions.
Understand why visitors are often susceptible to crime
during their visits.
Describe ways by which tourists can become victims
of their own decisions at destinations.
Discuss the roles played by the tour guide towards
ensuring tourist security while at destinations.
Introduction to Tourists and Crime
Tourism is a unique industry in that it is the worlds largest industries and also the worlds
least-protected industry.
For most of human history, travel was hard work and often torturous as travelers
encountered robbers and kidnappers who often ruled the nights and pirates stealing both
goods and persons.
Today, vacationers view their trips as an escape from the worlds problems and from the
worries of everyday life. While on tour, the last thing they want to be concerned about is
being victims of crime.
In this unit, we shall discuss two types of crimes and how the tour guide may intervene:
1 Crimes committed against tourists
These are specific crimes that target visitors. From the criminals perspective, these people
have a parasitic business relationship with the tourism industry i.e. without tourists, there
can be no crimes against tourists.
The criminal in this case, needs the tourism industry to succeed. Where there are no
tourists, there cannot be tourism crimes.
2 Collateral crimes
These are local crimes that have no relationship with tourism but spill over into the
tourism industry. The spill over effect may be due to tourists being in the wrong place at
the wrong time or the crime giving an impression that a locale is unsafe thus
discouraging visitors.
Nature of Tourist CrimeCtd.
Although crimes against tourists have a direct relationship with tourism and impact on tourists
directly, collateral crimes on the other hand may not have direct relationship with tourists but
can impact on tourism directly through tarnishing the image of a destination.
Why Tourists are Targets of Crime
Tourists provide lucrative conspicuous targets to crime because they tend to:
1 Carry much portable wealth.
Visitors carry valuable and portable wealth in form of electronic gadgets like cameras,
cellphones, jewelry and money which attract criminals.
2 They are short staying and transient.
Often have multiple destinations, this means that they may not even notice that they have
lost something of value and when noticed may not have an idea as to whether the object
was stolen or lost.
3 They are unfamiliar with crimogenic hotspots.
Often lack proper details about their destination and the places through which they will
pass on their way to their final destination as well as the local population.
They may not know the local customs, language, points of danger and consequently, it is
the traveler who is always at a disadvantage in a confrontation.
4 They are less likely to report crimes or return as witnesses.
Travelers are rarely willing to invest in the time needed to file a police report and are often
unwilling to spend the time and money needed to return to the site in order to testify
against their assailant.
Why Tourists are Targets of CrimeCtd.
5 Often ignore caution.
To travel is to take risks and travelers often take risks that they would not take at back at
home.
Caution on carrying a lot of portable wealth or leaving valuables un-catered for often go
unnoticed by visitors during tours.
6 Often assume where they are visiting is safe.
They often let down their guard or lower their level of inhibition.
Since travelers are on a schedule, they often lower their standards of security and safety
for the sake of staying within a specific time frame.
7 They lack professional travel knowledge.
Few travelers are professional travelers, but most con artists and thieves are highly adept
at what they do.
In the competition between the traveler and the victimizer, the victimizer most too often
has the advantage.
8 They do not know what to do when faced with difficult situations.
They are often conspicuous in their new settings and operate on unfamiliar political,
cultural and sometimes linguistic turf.
They are often stripped of many of their cultural and familiar ties, and protective
institutions.
Why Tourists are Targets of CrimeCtd.
9 Ostentatious behavior of tourists.
Few local population do not think of being poor as good and being rich as bad, though
they do not know that being a tourists does not necessarily mean one is rich.
Tourists involve in activities, events and live in accommodations that locals may subscribe
to be for the rich, this tends to draw them into crime especially in destinations with poor
economic status.
This is also found in classic literature described as the Robin Hood Syndrome of the
good guy who steals from the rich to give to the poor.
However, in some instances, tourists become victims by their own decisions to pursue risky and
illicit activity (Harper, 2006). These cases include the following:
Drug use at tourist destinations.
Failing to respond to local customs.
Engaging with prostitutes and call girls.
Excessive consumption of alcohol while at the destination.
Carrying large sums of money in predictable places such as back pockets.
Having desired items such as jewelry and cameras not kept in hotel security boxes.
Participate in activities where crime is high such as nightclubs.
Are often in anomic states i.e. pay little attention to where they leave their valuables.
Travel to areas of the locale in which they are unfamiliar without a guide.
Differentiation in dressing and use of foreign language or accent.
Tour Guides intervention to Tourist Crimes
The Tourist guide has a role to play amongst other personnel accompanying tourists to ensure
prevention of security risks to visitors. These roles include the following:
Offering adequate safety and security information to tourists at the outset of an itinerary so
that they are alert for their own safety.
Issuing visitor tips at stops that may range from warnings about dangerous city spots and
petty crime hazards such as pickpocketing.
Providing the tourists with information of attractions that will ensure they are appraised of the
cultural sensitivities and the dos and don'ts at destinations.
Intervening between the interactions of hosts and guests to ensure there is no
overindulgence and to control their contacts.
Keeping a close eye on the groups movement by maintaining a favorable pace that allows the
tour guide account for each member of the group and avoid dubious neighborhoods.
Ensure that the tourist attractions of high visitor concentrations like malls, theatres and
exhibitions provide safety and security plans or precautions e.g. exit signs, assembly points,
escape routes prior to entry.
Coordinate the days itinerary with guards, tourist police or local law enforcement authorities
to provide assistance and protection from theft and harassment.
Keeping up-to-date with security information from national tourism administrations, regional
and local tourist offices, private tourist information agencies etc. This information covers laws,
regulations and practices that tourists need to know to reduce security risks.
Impact of the Tour Guides Intervention
The Tourist guide and other personnel accompanying tourists impact largely on any unprevented
security risk or dilemma that occurs in the course of the tour itinerary in the following ways:
When material loss occurs to a tour member(s), the tour guides knowledge on crime
handling can turn such a security calamity into a tolerable inconvenience for the tourists.
Incase of damage to luggage or loss of property in hotels or by other handlers, the tour
guide must report the damage in order for any negligent handling that may have occurred to
be discovered and appropriate remedial action undertaken.
For tourists with travel insurance which caters for loss and damages of material wealth, the
tour guides action(s) and direction in the handling of the matter can make the process of
perusing a claim from insurance providers smooth and fast through ensuring the timely
report of crime, proper documentation like police abstracts are acquired on time etc.
The tourist guide may also become a witness in criminal proceedings as he or she had been
accompanying the tourists throughout the tour thus able to provide a reliable testimony
crucial for verdicts to be made.
Tourist Safety, Health
&
The Tour Guide
Explain reasons as to why visitors are prone to health and
safety risks while at destinations.
Discuss preventive measures a tour guide may apply in
regards to health and safety of tourists.
Assess potential health and safety risks that exist at tourist
attractions.
Safety & Health Risks
To live new experiences and feel secure at the same time are the basic needs of a human
being. These are even more accentuated when travelling, particularly on trips abroad than in
resident life.
Visitor safety is vital to providing quality in tourism, thus quality tourism experiences must
incorporate principles of not only security but health and safety as an overriding objective in
destinations.
Travelers are more susceptible to health and safety hazards while traveling, these can be
accidents and diseases.
Visitor safety and health at destinations can be ensured through informed and conscionable
decision making.
In the context of tour guiding, planning for tourist safety and health requires consideration of
risks originating in one main area i.e. Physical and environmental risks.
Physical and environmental risks manifest if tourists:
1 Are unaware of natural characteristics of the destination and their effects, in particular of its
flora and fauna.
2 Are not prepared from the medical view point (vaccinations).
3 Do not take precaution in their eating and hygiene habits.
4 Are exposed to emergencies (natural disasters, epidemics etc.) arising from the physical
environment.
Safety & Health RisksCtd.
However well planned a vacation package is, there may arise emergency situations that are as
a result of breech in tourist health and safety.
The tour guide will therefore need to handle emergency occurrences applying safety and
health procedures.
For our discussion, emergency situations relating to health and safety will be limited to those
that are a result of physical and environmental risks and may include:
1 Heat stroke and heat exhaustion and dehydration.
2 Common Cold or Flu, stomach ache and diarrhea.
3 Insect and animal stings/bites/attacks.
4 Cuts and Bruises.
5 Allergies and sunburns.
6 Poisoning : food and plants.
Safety, Health Risks & Tour Guides Mitigation
Advice visitors not drink tap or unsafe water from boreholes, rivers and
Stomachache streams even if it looks clear or clean. Remember that disease carrying
and pathogens are not visible to the human eye.
Diarrhea Inform visitors to always carry bottled water with tamper proof sealing intact.
Caution visitors on consumption of unhygienic foods on the streets or trying
out strange local foods and drinks that seem risky.
Ensure tourists with allergies are kept away from allergy sources e.g. animals,
Allergies
foods, insects, dust and plants.
Alert the tourists on possible risks that they may encounter at attractions
which may include; touching wild animals and insects, walking off stipulated
paths, keeping safe distance from wildlife, going beyond safe points, sticking
to safety precautions etc.
Accidents Advice visitors on suitable shoes and clothing for excursions.
& Match visitor capabilities e.g. age, gender to activities e.g. hiking, swimming,
Attacks rafting etc.
Remind tourists to observe safety signs and warnings while at attractions and
always confirm with the tour guide before indulging on high risk activity.
Only use qualified safety guides in high-risk attractions if you lack the
required competency.
Flu (Influenza) A virus that attacks the body spreading through the upper and or lower
A&B respiratory tract that is common in cold conditions.
Safety, Health Risks & Tour Guides MitigationCtd
Flu..Ctd Spread through inhaling air droplets containing the virus and direct contact
with respiratory secretions through sharing utensils, food, drinks.
Response procedure
Washing of hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after meals.
Avoiding sharing of food, drinks, utensils etc.
Drink plenty of fluids.
When outside, carry non-toxic wipes or hand sanitizers for quick clean-ups
Sneezing on tissue or handkerchiefs to prevent risk of spread.
Caused when people are not well adjusted to heat exercise in hot, humid
Heat Exhaustion environment. At high temperatures, the body cools itself largely through
& evaporation of sweat. When it is very humid, this mechanism does not work
Heat Stroke properly.
The body loses a combination of fluids and salts (electrolytes).When this is
accompanied by an inadequate replacement of fluids; disturbances in the
circulation may result that are similar to a mild form of shock.
Response procedure
Rest in a cool, shaded area.
Give cool fluids such as water or sports drinks (that will replace the salt that
has been lost). Salty snacks are appropriate as tolerated.
Loosen or remove clothing.
Apply cool water to skin.
Do not use an alcohol rub.
Do not give any beverages containing alcohol or caffeine.
Dealing with Emergency Situations
When a visitor falls ill or is injured, first aid is the only immediate response that can be applied
to save his/her life or alleviate pain and suffering.
However, the tour guide can only perform first aid if he is certified as there are legal
ramifications that can follow afterwards if he/she is not qualified and the situation becomes
terminal or leads to death.
In the case of an emergency, the following procedure is important for the tour guide to follow:
1 Remain calm.
2 Remember that time is crucial, use it wisely and efficiently.
3 Try to discover the cause of illness by checking on the symptoms and noting them.
4 Control the crowd, call the ambulance and direct the paramedics to the site.
5 Note the time of the day, the attraction or site you are at.
6 Verify if the visitor is travelling alone or with a companion if not part of group tour.
7 Check for medications, visible medical bracelets or identification.
Practice safe hygiene, do not engage in risky behavior if the cause of the illness is unknown
8 that is if there is blood involved and you have a cut or abrasion use gloves. Protect your
health first.
9 Protect personal belonging and valuables
Dealing with Emergency Situations...Ctd.
10 Check for medical insurance coverage.
11 Contact your organization management and brief them on the matter, they should not be
ambushed.
12 Notify the next of kin.
13 Inform your Agency/operator for them to contact the nearest embassies or consuls.
Consider this case and identify causes of the attack and how the
local guide ought to have intervened on pre-attack and post-attack
Dealing with Emergency Situations
Codes of Conduct, Ethics
&
Responsible Tourism
Evaluate the objectives of the codes of conduct in tour guiding
practice.
Discuss the roles of codes of conduct and practice in tour
guiding.
Assess the importance of ethics in tour guiding.
Explain the fundamental aspects governed by codes of conduct
in the tour guiding practice in Kenya.
Introduction
Code of conducts are expected to establish the standards of ethical conduct and behavior for
all tour guides.
The code of conducts contains rules of conduct and ethics to be observed by tour guides in
order to maintain integrity and impartiality in their service offer.
They do not replace the policies and rules of tour guiding developed by travel agents for
their tour guides and those of governments towards the tourism industry.
Professional guides who are members of the Kenya Tour Driver Guides Association and the
Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association have codes of conducts and ethics that they are
required to abide by during the course of service.
The objectives of the code of conducts include:
To ensure tour guides possess correct documentations and qualifications concerning their
service, and ethics in order to provide quality services.
To encourage continuous education and self-development of tour guides.
To cultivate a responsible working attitude.
Uphold the reputation of Kenyas tourism sector and tourist guides to ensure sustained
prosperity of the industry.
Codes of Conduct & Ethics in Tour Guiding
The professional guides ethics in Kenya is encompassed within specific aspects which include:
Aspect Requirement for Tour Guides
Guides shall provide visitors with the highest standard of service in accordance
to the provisions of the travel service contract and the itinerary.
Service The itinerary shall not be altered without the consent of the visitors and the
Standards travel agent concerned.
A guide shall prepare sufficiently in advance for each tour/activity as soon as
the itinerary is furnished to him/her.
Guides shall maintain good and incorruptible working relationship with
Cooperation partners, service providers and other staff to ensure services specified in the
itinerary/contracts are provided at the highest level.
Laws and Guides shall abide by, and help visitors to understand and abide by the laws of
Rules Kenya, relevant counties and attractions.
Appearance Guides shall dress properly to enhance their professional image and the tour
& agents/attractions.
Conduct Guides shall be punctual, reliable, honest, conscientious and tactful at all times.
Guides shall not collect gratuities by any coercive means, nor shall they exhibit
dissatisfaction, provide sub-standard service or refuse to provide service
Gratuities because few or no gratuities are given.
Guides shall follow their travel agents policies concerning gratuities and shall
not make use of any fraudulent acts to collect them.
Codes of Conduct & Ethics in Tour GuidingCtd
Professional Guides shall adhere to professional ethics. When receiving visitors, they shall:
Ethics Be dutiful, sincere, courteous and attentive.
Speak and act cautiously, discreetly and be objective in their attitude.
Be knowledgeable about Kenya, its cities, geography, history and attractions
on the itinerary.
Provide visitors with accurate information.
Respect the religious belief, customs and habits of visitors.
Be punctual in performing duties.
Will not abandon visitors during misunderstandings between him and them or
the travel agency.
Not smoke in front of visitors and drink alcohol during work.
Not gamble during work.
Not sell illicit items to visitors or recommend them to buy such items.
Will not seize or take away travel visitors travel documents unless made on
proper grounds and lasts for a reasonable time.
Be sensitive to the interests and values of the tour group and shall not share
his/her personal views on controversial subjects such as religion. Politics and
sex.
Guides shall not in any way collect or attempt to collect any additional
Charges charges from visitors on any ground except for fees necessitated by
participation in self-pay activities by visitors.
Self A guide shall periodically be required to attend courses, seminars or other
Development informative activities organized for continued professional development.
Self-pay Guides shall only arrange for self-pay activities for visitors which are
Activities approved by their travel agent or the visitors in case of direct engagements.
Guides shall not compel visitors to join self-pay activities, exert pressure or
leave them with no other choice, and allow visitors to choose freely.
Prior to arranging any self-pay activities, guides shall explain clearly to visitors
the content, fees, safety and responsibility issues.
Guides shall make appropriate arrangements according to the instructions of
their travel agent for those visitors who choose not to join self-pay activities.
When discharging their duties, guides shall not engage in any activities other
than those approved by their travel agent and the visitor.
Guides shall not engage in selling any goods to visitors to make profits from
the visitors.
Guides shall ensure sustained development of the tourism industry by:
Always having regards firstly for the interests of the visitors and the
Promotion of reputation of the tourism sector.
the Tourism Encourage visitors assistance in protecting tourism resources and
Industry maintaining public hygiene and order.
Act as tourism ambassadors for Kenya by actively promoting tourism as well
as other local industries for the benefit of Kenyas economy.
Interpretation Codes shall be observed by all members.
and Enforcement and decisions on violations are made in accordance to a
enforcement committee of the Kenya Tour Drivers and Guides Association which has
of Penalties powers to penalize persons found in breach of the codes.
Shopping Tour guides shall ensure that visitors understand their consumer rights which
activities include:
Right to make or not to make purchases.
Right to obtain information on products and services.
Freedom to choose products and services.
Guides shall not in any way compel visitors to make purchases or mislead them
into doing so.
Guides shall allow visitors to freely leave or enter registered shops and shall not
force them to remain inside the shops.
If visitors are feeling unwell, guides shall immediately arrange for visitors
activities in accordance to their wishes and for them to see a doctor.
Guides shall not allow their service attitude to be affected or refuse to perform
their duties because of visitors unwilling to purchase or the value of purchases.
Safety Guides shall always attach a top priority to safety of visitors and remind them to
be aware of their personal safety and that of their belongings.
In case of accidents or illness, guides shall help arrange immediate treatment for
visitors and seek assistance from the travel agent immediately. They shall report
the case to the police if necessary.
Guides shall not disclose any confidential information to anybody without
authorization from their travel agents or the visitor.
Guides with access or control of the above information shall always ensure its
security and prevent any abuse or misuse of the information.
Responsible Tourism & the Tour Guide
Responsible tourism is tourism that is careful about its effects on the environment, local culture,
local community and local economy.
Tour guides should make sure that the tours they lead dont negatively change or damage the local
culture, its economy or the environment, but rather, have positive effects on the communities that
are visited.
To set example for responsible tourism behavior, the tour guide should think about the needs of
the environment and the community in his/her tours in the following ways:
Dos Dont
Local Teach tourists to learn and understand Ask tourists not to look at and/or interfere
Culture local cultures in a sensitive way. in certain activities or start talking to local
Introduce tourists to the local community people unless you say it is ok.
in a way that helps the community to find Do not enter areas that the community
comfort in foreign visitors. perceive as private or sacred.
Help tourists connect with the locals and Operate tours on times or days that
their culture. communities see as restricted in some way
Explain things which may cause culture e.g. due to religious beliefs, local customs
shock to the tourists. and traditions.
Help tourists understand local Dont let too many tourists enter an area at
surroundings and the local experience. once so that they dont have a bad effect
Ask for permission before doing certain and for them not to interfere with normal
things and never think it is just OK. activities.
Environment Encourage the tourists to use less plastic Remind tourists to maintain a low voice
bags and bottles and not to litter. volume or maintain silence if necessary.
Walk only on designated foot paths or Ask tourists not to smoke at attractions.
tracks.
Responsible TourismCtd.
Dos Dont
Local Dress and behave in a way that shows Give treats or money to children begging.
Community respect for the tour site, especially Hug and kiss in public, or touch any
religious sites and ceremonies. people without permission.
Dress neatly and moderately, dont show Buy antique considered as sacred items.
too much skin. Dress is important and first Promote or engage in sex tourism
impressions count and tell people what to especially with children.
think of you. Fail to tell and show tourists important
Ask before taking photos of people and local manners and what is normal and
sites. acceptable, as well as what is not allowed
Buy new, quality, handmade products and or might upset the local people.
not items that belong to the heritage or Stare at the locals.
history of the country. Inform tourists to ask before taking
Report sex tourism especially with photographs or tell them not to take
children. cameras or cell phones in certain areas.
Local Encourage people to spend money on Buy imported products and souvenirs if
Economy local products or souvenirs made locally. there are local products available.
Eat in local restaurants, shop in local Eat mainly in large or international hotel
markets to support local traders/farmers. restaurants.
Buy products that are marked as fair Give huge tips after services are rendered.
trade this ensures people are fairly paid Pay too much for something as it
for work done and use environmentally encourages begging or overcharging.
friendly materials when making products.
Legal Aspects
Topic 7 in
Tour Guiding
Discuss the purpose of law in tour guiding.
Explain the legal obligations of the tour guide to the tourists and
the host community.
Outline specific laws that aim at safeguarding the interests of
tourists, the tour operator, the tour guide and the community.
Highlight the importance of understanding legislations in tour
guiding.
Identify potential areas for litigation in tour guiding practice.
Legal Aspects in Tour Guiding
Laws serve the purpose of controlling the way the best interests of customers are served by
those they are reliant upon for services. The purpose of legislation in tour guiding is to not only
protect the tourists, but also the tour operator or agent and the tour guide as well.
Legislations in tour guiding look into aspects such as:
Occupational health, security and safety.
Confidentiality of Tourist information.
Fair treatment for all Tourists.
Non-discrimination of Tourists.
Fulfillment of Tour Guides contractual obligations.
Duty to offer high care and skill to Tourists on tour
Duty to provide factual information without bias or withholding etc.
The legislations safeguarding different aspects of tour guiding practice in Kenya are encompassed
in mainly in civil law, however criminal law may apply in some cases. They include the following:
1 Consumer Protection Act of Kenya.
2 Law of Contracts.
3 Law of Torts.
4 Law of Agency.
5 Occupation Health, Security and Safety Laws.
Legal Aspects in Tour GuidingCtd.
Consumer All Tourists must be treated equal irrespective of their age, gender, color, ethnicity,
Protection nationality, disability etc. during a tour.
Act of Tourists should be given alternatives and freedom to choose in their purchase of tours
Kenya and tour activities according to their wants, preferences and ability to buy.
Tourist privacy should be respected and protected before, during and after the tour.
Telephone contacts, email addresses, physical addresses and other personal information
should not be used for whatsoever purpose without their consent.
Law A contract is an agreement between two or more parties and is legally binding.
of Tour operators travel agents and the tour guides promise to offer tourists services in form
Contract of holiday packages of particular standards which encompass wide ranging activities
written down as a contractual agreement prior to service.
Once tourists purchase a holiday package, a consideration is made to the offer which
implies that every party must fulfill his or her contractual obligations to the latter.
Failure to fulfill the contract agreement results to litigation under civil/private law which
arises when a service provider is sued or found culpable for breech of contract.
Law A tort is an act or failure to act that results into injury, loss or damage to another.
of Tour Guides have a duty of care towards tourists during activities and adventures and
Torts should avoid negligence, recklessness, carelessness and mistakes which can culminate to
suit for tort.
A tour guide sued for the tort of negligence or recklessness also renders the tour
operator he or she represents vicariously liable for the tort committed if done during
working hours and a clear relationship exists between the operator and the tour guide.
Legal Aspects in Tour GuidingCtd.
Contract of A tour guide working for a travel agent or tour operator under a contract or as an
Agency agent has an agency relationship created between them.
The agency relationship results into duties and obligations which include;
performance, obedience, reasonable care and skill, avoidance of conflict of interest,
duty not to delegate duties assigned to third parties etc.
In the event that the tour guide breeches the contract of agency between him/her
and the tour operator that he/she represents, the agency relationship can be
discharged.
Occupational There are legislative requirements for working with vulnerable people, children and
Health & the environment which is supported by OH&S policy guidelines.
Safety The objectives of OH&S include meeting and maintaining professional standards in
(OH&S) presentations, minimizing health risks and hazards, following emergency procedures
to minimize risks as discussed in tourist safety and health and the tour guide.
A Tour Guide should be cognizant of OH&S policies and standards at all time so as to
guide his or her emergency responses during hazards, injuries, accidents etc.
Caveat This is a warning about the character and conduct of a particular person usually
issued by institutions and businesses to enable others become aware before
employing or contracting them.
Tour guides need to be free from criminal records such as violence or abuse that may
limit their workplace activities, opportunities and career options in areas that involve
contact with vulnerable persons like some special needs visitors.
Trends
Topic 8 &
Future of Tour Guiding
Identify the trends in the travel industry.
Explain the trends that are shaping tour guiding.
Evaluate the threats and opportunities inherent to the trends.
Discuss the factors that will shape the future of tour guiding.
THE
TOUR GUIDE
Trends in the Travel Industry
Futurists agree that there are trends that have been developing and will continue to evolve over
and beyond the next decade. The following are trends that will most likely affect the tour guiding
profession:
1 Growth of Travel
More people are developing an understanding of the world and technology is making it
easier for people to travel.
More people are likely to travel around the world thus tourism and travel likely to remain
as the worlds largest industry.
2 Growth and interest in rural and previously undiscovered areas.
Travelers seek unique and unspoilt areas.
Many trends in tourism such as ecotourism, sustainable tourism and responsible tourism
are catering for travelers desires.
3 Desire for authentic experiences.
Todays travelers seek a deeper and more personal way to understand another region or
culture.
Travelers also seek more active adventure-oriented tours such as hiking, snorkeling, scuba
diving, parasailing etc.
Trends in the Travel IndustryCtd.
4 Increase in multi-cultural societies
Guides and other travel professionals must be informed of other cultures and places.
Ethnic communities previously overlooked in tours are now being recognized by guides
on tours.
5 Change in work style
More and more people choose less restrictive work schedules, trends such as early
retirement, flex time and part time are becoming common because people choose to
spend more time with their families or on personal interests.
As more people continue to choose alternative work styles, the tour guiding career is
becoming more popular and desirable. Individuals working as guides have other careers
also.
6 Labor shortage
A decline in the skilled labor force is one of the critical issues in this decade implying that
there will be a much smaller pool of workers for which to choose in the industry.
Tourism businesses will try to attract the best workers by offering higher salaries, good
benefits and other incentives.
Employers may offer more training programs to attract and keep qualifies personnel.
Workers may face less competition and more attractive employment options.
Trends in the Travel IndustryCtd.
7 An aging population
This is a most certain and dramatic current trend, the average aging person is educated,
has a lot of money and leisure time.
He is concentrating on physical, personal, financial, social and economic security, comfort
and convenience. He is healthy, mobile and active.
This implies that since senior citizens are most likely to travel in groups than other age
groups, the market for group travel will continue to grow.
8 Growth in the use of technological tools
Technology has had an impact on every individual and industry.
Almost all have televisions, tablets, smart phones, internet etc. making information on
other people and cultures available to them on a continuous basis hence are more
informed about the world and are sophisticated travelers.
This offers challenges to guides as they have to give more than basic information about a
place when conducting tours for visitors with particular interests or repeat visitors.
Trends in Tour Guiding
The roles of the tour guide has seen changes from what it was in history, current roles and the
expected roles in future. This can be presented using a figure as shown below:
Tourist Tourist
Tour Guide Tour Guide
CONTROL PHASE SHUT OUT PHASE CONNECTION PHASE

Knowledge Tourists familiar Tourists have
primarily with routes and control of their
vested on the terrains through travel and activity.
Tour Guide. continued travel. Guides roles
Tourists are Tourists share and diminishing and
unfamiliar with learn from other limited to sites as
the route and tourists about activity or safety
terrain. their travels. guides etc.
Trends in Tour GuidingCtd.
The tour guide is the sole source of information on different destinations,
attractions, routes, terrains and cultures emanating from his/her
experiences from previous trips.
Control Phase
There is little or no information available about travel.
(Past)
The tourist is not knowledgeable on travel and relies on the tour guide to
provide direction, leadership ,security, safety and negotiate safe passage.
For a successful travel, obedience to the tour guides directions is vital.
The tourist has learned from his/her previous guided travels.
Travel guides, maps and manuals are used by tourists to enhance the
learning process.
Shut-Out Phase
Tourists are interacting and sharing with other tourists about their travels
(Present)
which confirms the literature in travel manuals, maps and guides.
Knowledge and experience exchange between tourists is enhanced.
Tourists acquiring skills and expertise necessary for independent travels.
Tourists will be more knowledgeable of the aspects of travel.
Tourists will engage more in planning and making their own travels to
destinations and attractions without entirely relying on the tour guide.
Connection Phase Tour guides role will get increasingly diminished and if existent, at
(Future) attractions playing mediatory roles between communities and visitors.
Bulk of guiding services will be digitalized using web-based platforms like
applications and websites to offer services without need to be physically
present.
Trends in Tour GuidingCtd.
1 Increased interest in certification
Although the certification program for tour guides is relatively new, many guides work for
it with many travel professionals and travel organizations recognizing its value.
2 Specialization
Many travelers are looking for guides who can provide specialized tours e.g. an architect
may want an architectural tour, another visitor may want a guide who specializes in local
birds, plants or desert life.
As travelers come from multiple parts of the world, bilingual and multilingual guides are
very much in demand.
3 More communication and contact between Guides and Interpreters
Guides have been traditionally associated with the travel industry while interpreters have
been associated with public sector organizations such as museums and national parks.
Until recently, guides have not had academic programs or professional literature available
to them for a long time.
Since interpreters are aligning themselves with the travel industry and guides are
becoming more active in academic programs and interpretation literature and philosophy,
the two groups are starting to communicate with each other more frequently.
4 Education and Training
Due to the availability of opportunities for guides now more than before, tour operators
and travel agents are responding by choosing guides that are educated over those that
are not.
Future of Tour GuidingCtd.
1 Continuous training, education and professional development
Global growth and evolution of tourism from service-based economy to an experience-
based economy and the increasingly diverse range of roles expected of and played by
tour guides are recognized as factors that have raised the urgency for tour guides to gain
further qualifications and experience through training, education and professional
development.
Qualifications and educational standards vary, while some may have a certificate, diploma
or degree standard, others have no qualification whatsoever. Today one can set up as a
tour guide without qualifications with the introduced accreditation systems based solely
on guides on-the-job experience and it is not mandatory.
Guides and other guiding stakeholders are expressing their desire for training, education
and professional development opportunities to improve their performance and develop as
professionals.
There need for training and education to eliminate unethical guiding practices, improve
visitor experiences and enhance the reputation of tour operators and visitor destinations.
Given that trained guides result in higher visitor satisfaction, tourism operators should be
encouraged to employ trained guides and once employed, supported with paid time and
resources to undertake advanced training. Further professional development should be
rewarded through salary increment.
Future guides will require formal training that will be fostered by introduction of a
licensing system based on attending and passing a training course in tour guiding.
Future of Tour GuidingCtd.
2 Value Addition
Rather than just a classic sun and see vacation, travelers are now looking for real
experiences that enrich their culture and let them live and feel the authenticity.
They seek out travels that involve volunteering e.g. providing support to a society in need,
humanitarian actions, conservation and restoration activities, exploring new culinary
techniques, attending seminars, concerts and events.
3 Regulation of the Tour Guides
Tour guides who may have the greatest impact of all on the satisfaction of tourists are
virtually the only elements of the tourism industry that is not regulated.
Non-regulation leads to unhealthy practices by tour operators such as use of unqualified
tour guides which poses a threat to the sustainability of the profession and the industry.
(Ap & Wong, 2001)
Unqualified tour guides lack defined career paths and in many countries, qualifications are
not required. Those with qualifications are also not remunerated in any special way and
over time, good guides may move to some other occupations. (Weiler & Ham, 2002)
Tour guides should be regulated and licensed in order for them to upgrade their
professional service and standards. (Chow, 2004)
Future of Tour GuidingCtd
4 Development of new Technologies
The tour guides role is changing or diminishing in part by being superseded by flexible,
electronic alternatives at tourism sites which allow for choice of language and provides
visitors with different perspectives on events and the site itself.
Not only has ICT in tourism enabled acquisition of information at specific sites but also
while on the move. Web-based applications for mobile phones have been developed
allowing users to retrieve information about attractions e.g. the use of pointing technology
application enabled in smartphones in Dublin City for tourists and Map of Life etc.
Furthermore, today virtual tours can be conducted online on tourism websites and web-
channels at the comfort of ones home which allow for not only visual and audio
capabilities, but a virtual reality of activities, wildlife and culture at worldwide destinations.
ICT in tourism through websites, mobile-based applications, has delivered global and local
destinations to the palms and homes of the digital tourist thus diminishing the role in part
of the tour guide.
Advances being made in science and technology enable potential new careers. With
organizations such as Space X and Virgin Galactic already promising space tourism,
amongst those professionals that will be required include space tour guides who will live
and work in space.
The space tour guide will draw on knowledge of cosmology, astronomy, space science,
history and geology to help visitors get the most out of their journey.
They will need to be excellent story tellers and imaginers to inspire their charges and
encourage the experience of the true awe of space travel. Regular tour guides will
undergo physical and mental preparation of similar level as pilots before each trip.
New forms of guided tours are emerging that are co-creations between tourism operators,
guides and clients (Jonasson, 2011). With the introduction of technology such as wireless
internet, Geographic Information Systems and Global Positioning Systems, there is now a
blurring between guided and non-guided tours as visitors move between one and the
other during their holiday.
5 The advent and usage of social media
Social media comprises web-based and mobile technologies used to turn conversations
into interactive dialogues between organizations, communities and individuals.
It has become one of the many possible channels through which tour guides can connect
with their potential and existing customers and an increasingly important touch points for
services.
A tour guide can harness the power of social media to advertise his/her services, reach out
to potential customers and generate opportunities.
As opposed to traditional methods where relations with customers often ended with sales,
using social media as an interactive channel enables the tour guide sustain relations with
customers, engage customers and spend more time on important customer touch points.
6 Growth of disabled travelers
The facilitation of travel for tourism by the disabled is a key element in sustainable tourism
development policy that emphasizes the need to provide information on accessible
tourism facilities, support services and training employees on the special needs of these
individuals.
Academic interest on accessible tourism has seen growth however, still insufficient to
address what this group of travelers may need or desire.
Closely linked to the senior travel market are people with disabilities whose travel needs
have been categorized as barrier-free tourism (BFT) which offers a new opportunity for
segmentation that conflated the access requirements of the seniors and disability markets.
Field Trip to The
Nairobi Railway Museum
During the field-based learning, learners shall:
Experience first hand group tour management and
commentary delivery at a themed attraction site.
Evaluate the learnt theoretical concepts and their applicability.
Appraise the applied tour guiding techniques applied by the
on-site guide.
Ap, J., & Wong, K. (2001). Case Study on Tour Guiding: Professionalism,
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Organization.
Just to mention but a few

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Paul Olola
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Thank you for being meticulously responsible

Techniques in Tour Guiding 2017 by Paul Olola

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Techniques in Tour Guiding 2017 by Paul Olola

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TOP NOTCH

Some Tourist Guides are categorized based on nature of the tourist

The Cause and Effect

Updating Tour Guiding Knowledge

Talking & Reading Field Work Monitoring

Change the speed of your voice.

Tour Guide Tour Guide

CONTROL PHASE SHUT OUT PHASE CONNECTION PHASE

Just to mention but a few

Thank you for being meticulously responsible

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